Bark beetle outbreaks and wildfires are principal drivers
of change in western North American forests, and both have increased
in severity and extent in recent years. These two agents of disturbance
interact in complex ways to shape forest structure and composition.
For example, mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae
Hopkins, epidemics alter forest fuels with consequences for the
frequency and intensity of wildfires and, conversely, fire injury
to trees can promote bark beetle attack and increase beetle populations.
Given the great influence these processes have on forest ecosystems,
a better understanding of how bark beetles and fires interact
is needed to better manage forests and to predict and manage
wildfires. Here we review current knowledge on how fire and bark
beetles interact, focusing on the mountain pine beetle. We highlight
research on how fuel reduction treatments and wildfires affect
bark beetles and how bark beetles can affect wildfires by modifying
the moisture content, chemistry, and structure of fuels. Last,
we discuss the implications these findings have for fire management
and firefighter safety.